Notre Dame defeats Indiana in thrilling College Football Playoff matchup

Notre Dame defeated Indiana, showcasing Riley Leonard's exceptional performance.

### Indiana Hoosiers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: CFP First Round Highlights
* 🏈 The game began on a cold, snowy day, with a fair catch by Indiana's Solomon Van Horse.
* 🏈 Indiana's early interception by D'Angelo Purns was followed by Notre Dame's interception by Xavier Watts.
* 🏈 Jeremiah Love's impressive **98-yard touchdown run** gave Notre Dame the lead, showcasing Anthony Knop's crucial blocking.
* 🏈  Notre Dame continued to score, with touchdowns by Jaylen Thomas and another score by Jeremiah Love.
* 🏈 Indiana responded with a field goal by Mitch Evans, but Notre Dame maintained a significant lead.
* 🏈  **Riley Leonard's strong performance** for Notre Dame included several key passes and a rushing touchdown, while Indiana struggled to keep up.
* 🏈  Despite Indiana's late efforts, including a touchdown, Notre Dame secured a victory, advancing to the Sugar Bowl.
* 🏈  Notre Dame's win marked Marcus Freeman's 12th victory against ranked opponents in three years, tying a school record.

of as this one gets underway, but it is chilly. We had snow overnight and early this morning. Short kickoff, returnable

but a fair catch made by Solomon Van Horse here in college football. Big man, 6'5", 223 lbs. He handed it off to Justice Ellison

and he's dumped for a loss of three by Joshua Burnham. They move a lot; they talk about

disguising their fronts. Leonard, in the air, intercepted, picked off by D'Angelo Purns, and Indiana gets the first takeaway

of the night. They're not in field goal range.  Single coverage, lots of grabbing, and the catch is made by Elijah

Serat. Wow, what a catch! They go quickly from the 17-yard line. That one's intercepted, picked off by Xavier

Watts, and each quarterback has thrown a pick. For Watts, his sixth interception of the year tonight. So each team is

thrown a pick. Riley Leonard and the Irish from their own two. Jeremiah Love breaks free. Jeremiah Love trying to go

98, touchdown! What a run! The first touchdown of the 12-team playoff run, but my goodness, watch his

left tackle, Anthony Knop, working against the All-Big Ten defender, Kamar. He was able to turn him back inside, which

allowed a big void between him and the tight end. That's exactly where Love went, and he was out the

[Applause] gate. They crowd the line of scrimmage. Tyson L. breaks free.  Denas Williams ordinarily stays

in the block. Quick set by Leonard in a short pass. B. Collins stayed on his feet and got the first down.

To the air for the Clemson transfer, and a great job by Bo. Call throws just a touch low, but he comes back, grabs it, and

tight turn up the sideline for the conversion. He's their best position. Play-action pass for Leonard. Takes the check down to Jadarian Price.

He got belted short of the line to gain. High snap, handled by Leonard Evans. Locks the football on the sideline and

is recovered by Jordan Fison. [Applause] Indiana. Leonard given a nice pocket and a good lunging catch made by Williams.

Just his eighth catch of the year. Their own 17; they've scored on a 98-yard

touchdown run by Jeremiah Love. Blitz right up the middle. Wide receiver screen; broke some tackles. He's not a big guy,

just between these two instate rivals, but the first since 1991. Price running room outside and turns the

corner. Judan field. Watch the tight ends here, though; big part of the passing game. The fake, and it is a touchdown to

Jaylen Thomas. Just his second touchdown of the year and his 17th catch here for most of the

year. Senior from Payne County, Georgia. Another touchdown for Notre Dame over the year and become a star in his final

season. Came back for a chance to play for a championship. On target. Very bright future as a play caller, but he's got to

settle his quarterback down. He's missing high all night. The co-offensive coordinator and quarterback's coach. Nice run by Justice

Ellison, and Indiana's across midfield with a behind Ohio State and Texas. And that pass batted down and almost a

diving interception made by Donovan Hines. Bed away. They're two out of four on third down. They go to a run, and lot dropped by

Jaylen Smith. Interesting call. The last possession, a 16-play touchdown drive, the longest in the history of the College Football Playoff

in terms of number of plays. He's on target for his eighth in a row to Chris Mitchell for a first down, a

gain of 11 to the [Applause] nation. Quick throw, quick tackle. Miles cross dumped by Xavier. One

it's [Applause] just pressure up the middle, well blocked. Ro, on target, and a catch by

[Applause] Sarat on second and 10; the play-action pass, on the money to Miles Price, and

he's yanked down by Jordan Clark, but it's 17 more for the Dame. 22, it's great

recognition by Curtis. Roar. Clark is lined up way off, an inside-outside, which allows easy completion. Price breaks a tackle and

lowers his shoulder to eighth play of the drive. Looked like there was some movement along the line; it's a direct

snap to Ellison. There are no flags down. He's down with just a one-yard gain on a cold and snowy night in

Bloomington. Three weeks ago, right down the middle from 34, and Indiana's on the board. The tight end, Mitch Evans, the

motion man, Leonard, hit as he throws; diving attempt, and it's ruled a catch. Jordan F. on for

10 yards and a big first down. For a replay review to make sure this was a catch. It's a great play by Leonard. It looked

like, wow, Bison had it initially. Does it hit the ground as he's turning over, and does he

secure control? You have to maintain control all the way through the catch, and they think he gets a catch. I mean, it

looks like he got his hand under. The only question I would say is right there as he starts to roll over. I I agree with

you guys; the ball hit the ground, in my opinion. Confirmed, so there was enough evidence to say it was a catch. Match

sorry for the interruption. Not pump fake; trying to find a running lane. He does, somehow. He has another first down.

Clock stops to move the chains. With a minute, Williams still the running back. Williams breaks a tackle and has a first down. He gets them

to the edge of field goal range. Snap and hold are good. That's the old Mitch Cheater, good from 49 with room to spare.

The second half this season was against Ohio State, and their only loss of the year in Columbus. Jaden Harrison, they run a reverse; Jordan

Faison. Jordan Faison down the sidelines, tackled from behind as he crossed midfield, or that might have gone all the

way. Notre Dame, but there's only really one defender that had to be shook, and that was Jir Johnson, number eight, who

just missed him completely. Missed him. He was really the only guy that saw the reverse from the beginning. Faison gets to the outside; a

great move. Moision contract that brings a lot of money to these schools. Riley Leonard diving catch, and it's incomplete.

Bo Collins couldn't grab it. Look at his first head coaching job; till he was 49 years old, 27 years as an assistant.

Curtis WTH in trouble, and sack for the first time tonight. Here they lost Jordan Batello.

Played in 50 career games. Bubacar Trayor Tayori would have been another key component front.

Here's Miles Price with nowhere to go, into the bag of tricks, and it didn't work. Burnham, who was called for the

penalty, was the head—the defensive coordinator for IU, is also one of the five finalists. It's Golden's defense

again. Bryce Young, Bryant Young, and just an electric edge rush against the right tackle, Trey Whedon. Look at the right arm; long arm, and

it's 6'7”. It's going to be hard for Whedon to get his hands on the explosive true

freshman. Around a long time in Al Gold and Mike Denck, and they talk about how he has just total command of this

program, and impressive in every aspect of leading it. Nice hands catch. Jordan faced opponents in three years; that's

the most by any Notre Dame coach in his first three years. Here's Price busting through tackles, nine-yard gain.

Blitz off the corner didn't get anywhere near Riley Leonard, but James Carpenter did, for the first sack of the night for

Indiana. Back to third down. Pressure immediately from Mle. Kamar Leonard ran away from that, and then a

hit out of bounds. They had him stopped at the line of scrimmage, and it would have been fourth down. And there's a late

hit on the Notre Dame [Applause] sideline after the play. Personal foul; late hit out of bounds. Defense number 99

half-does to the goal and an automatic first down. Crushing penalty for Indiana, and Riley Leonard right there clearly

giving himself up. Where's his foot as he's going out of bounds? I think that's probably what [referee's name] is trying to argue,

but he's way into the white, so he's clearly out by the time he finishes shoving him clear

outside. But just a terrible decision. Things that come with it, which there are many. Third down and goal from the

four, and as Williams, they get a first down at the two. He keeps battling; they're going to roll him down. Oh, he

looked like he was going to be stopped multiple times, but there's the left knee and the right knee in the left elbow.

With a big field goal try to make it a three-score game, they shift out. And how about this formation? They're so creative

on special teams. They throw it out wide to Evans, the tight end, and he didn't get there; short

by a yard. Signet was running down the sideline. I think they called a timeout. Marcus Freeman's happy about that

because they didn't get the first down on the snap. Marcus is smiling as if to say that's what we really wanted, just a

Third quarter, yeah, he's back! Well struck. He was injured and high-flying Indiana finds some offense, not on that play, Jordan

Clark chopped down Tyson Elton for a loss of one. Points only twice by Michigan and by Ohio State wide

receiver screen, Kean Williams stopped three yards short of the first down. [Applause] Jeremiah Love

Wow! Another example of what makes him special. Yard gain. Let's take a look at that stiff arm one more time. Gets inside

and then bow straight to the ground without slowing down whatsoever. Sean, I'll tell you who he reminds me of; reminds me of

Darren McFadden. Come full circle, and he's playing his best football of the year here in

December. There's a flag down. He runs away from Kamar, finds an open receiver. Don't think Chris Mitchell realized how

much room he had around him. He just kind of circled one out of bounds. I think there'll be a lot of questions about the

strength of the Big Ten if this performance stays like this. Leonard again showing his escapability, trying to pick up a block

from Mitchell. He gets shoved out of bounds. 33. This is what they expected, and they brought him over, and now a low kick that

gets blocked. James Carpenter blocked it, and the Hoosiers advance the ball out near the 40-yard

line. Sean Asbury picked it up. Really wasn't a lot of penetration; just batted down by Big James

Carpenter at the line of scrimmage. [Music] Curtis Roe on target. Miles Price across midfield,

refusing to go down. They finally blow it down for Roe. Eight out of sixteen for 95.

Similar numbers to the eight for eighteen in the loss to Ohio State. Into traffic and almost intercepted into a double

Coverage; that'd be the direction I'd look. Tight end Horton does not have a catch tonight, not even a target.

Screen, high throw, and a great defensive play by Drake Bowen, dropping Ellison for a loss. The veteran quarterback, Leonard,

takes the play clock all the way down to one. They're so well-coached. Short pass to Jordan Mayer out to the 37-yard

line. First meeting between these two teams since 1991. Leonard, great feel for the rush, stepped up, fires it on down to the goal

line. They're going to mark him down just short, inside the one. Going to go over 100 yards.

[Applause] Receiving! What a throw by Riley Leonard, and Phas on second and goal. Notre Dame up 20 to 3.

With under 5 minutes to go, Riley Leonard has the record. Great fake and a walk-in touchdown; his 15th rushing touchdown of

the season for Indiana. Just collapses to the inside; he sees it the whole way and he walks into the end zone for his 15th

touchdown, and they'll punch their ticket to New Orleans. What a performance from the Irish! It truly is one of the really

special athletic venues in our country. Miles Price, the catch and run. Indiana just trying to make the final score look a little bit better at

CFP First Round: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Full Game Highlights | ESPN CFB

ESPN College Football

Game begins in chilly weather following overnight snow.

Fair catch by Solomon Van Horse; subsequent play results in a loss of three yards.

Indiana intercepts a pass, securing their first takeaway.

Xavier Watts intercepts a pass, resulting in each team having a turnover.

Notre Dame's First Touchdown and Subsequent Plays

Jeremiah Love scores a 98-yard touchdown run.

Successful conversion after a catch by Bo Collins.

Notre Dame's success is highlighted, referencing their 98-yard touchdown run.

Notre Dame scores another touchdown, this time to Jaylen Thomas.

Commentary on Notre Dame's offensive coordinator and quarterback's performance.

Discussion of Notre Dame's long touchdown drive.

Notre Dame gains yardage after a catch by Miles Price.

Indiana scores after a successful catch and review.

Notre Dame's Jordan Faison makes a significant gain.

Analysis of Notre Dame's defensive strategy and personnel.

Commentary on Notre Dame's program leadership.

Indiana receives a penalty for a late hit.

Notre Dame's creative special teams formation is noted.

Indiana's offense struggles; Jordan Clark makes a tackle for a loss.

Jeremiah Love's impressive run is highlighted.

Analysis of Notre Dame's performance and its implications for the Big Ten.

Indiana blocks a kick, advancing the ball.

Analysis of Notre Dame's offensive and defensive strategies.

Riley Leonard scores a touchdown for Indiana.